🌀 Florida’s 2025 Hurricane Sales Tax Holiday: What Florida Residents Need to Know (And How to Save Big!)
Hurricane season 2025 is coming fast, and if you're a Florida resident, it's time to get serious about your hurricane prep. The good news? Florida’s Hurricane Sales Tax Holiday is returning—offering a smart way to stock up on life-saving gear while keeping more money in your pocket.
📢 We're sharing this early so you can plan ahead—and we’ll reshare closer to May 15 when the holiday begins. You can add your link to your cart, and wait to buy until the 15th when you see if the sales tax is added to your purchase. That gives you time to prep smart, shop strategically, and avoid the last-minute chaos.
*Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Cat 5 Prep earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
🗓️ When Is the 2025 Florida Hurricane Sales Tax Holiday?
Florida’s 2025 Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday runs:
🗓 May 15 – May 31, 2025
During this period, you won’t pay state sales tax on qualifying emergency supplies—online and in-store, including Amazon (with some caveats).
🔗 See Florida’s budget proposal and tax relief dates here.
🧾 What Items Qualify for the Tax Break?
📌 As of now, Florida hasn’t released the official 2025 item list, but it’s expected to closely mirror 2024.
Check out the previous year's list to get a solid idea of what will be included:
Common Tax-Free Items Include:
Generators under $3,000 (Add to Cart)
Battery-powered flashlights/lanterns under $40 (Add to Cart)
AA, AAA, C, D, 6V, 9V Batteries (Add to Cart)
Portable power banks (Add to Cart)
Plastic sheeting, tarps, and tie-down kits (Add to Cart)
First-aid kits and fire extinguishers (Add to Cart)
Coolers and reusable ice packs (Add to Cart)
Manual can openers and radios (Add to Cart)
Smoke/carbon monoxide detectors (Add to Cart)
Pet supplies for evacuation (Add to Cart)
These are all essential to any Florida hurricane prep kit—especially during peak storm season.
📦 Can You Use Amazon to Take Advantage of the Sales Tax Holiday?
✅ Yes, BUT—here’s how to confirm an item qualifies:
Amazon does not label sellers as “verified tax-exempt” participants, but their checkout system typically honors the tax holiday automatically. You can add now to your carts, and after the start of the holiday, you can check the sales tax prior to buying.
To check if a product qualifies:
Add the item to your cart
Enter a Florida shipping address
Go to the final checkout screen (before placing the order)
Check the Estimated Tax
If the item qualifies, tax will show as $0.00
If it doesn’t, sales tax will be included
🟨 Important Reminders:
Only items within the price limits qualify.
Some third-party Amazon sellers may not participate.
Amazon's system generally applies the exemption correctly for Florida orders during the tax holiday window.
💡 Quick Hurricane Prep Tips for Florida Residents
Start now before supply chain delays hit
Shop online early and watch stock levels
Include the entire family—including pets and seniors
Monitor forecasts and prep zones starting in early May
🧭 What About Other States? Hurricane Prep Tax Holidays Beyond Florida
While Florida’s hurricane sales tax holidays are the most robust and well-publicized, several other states offer similar events to help residents save money while preparing for storms and emergencies.
Here are some other states that have historically offered or are scheduled to offer such sales tax holidays in 2025:
✅ Alabama
When: February 21–23, 2025
Items Covered: Batteries, phone chargers, coolers, manual can openers, duct tape, fire extinguishers, first-aid kits, tarps, and portable generators ($1,000 or less).
Note: Most items must cost $60 or less to qualify.
✅ Louisiana
Historically hosts a Hurricane Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday around June 1st.
2025 status is still unconfirmed—check the Louisiana Department of Revenue for updates.
✅ Mississippi
Doesn’t offer a dedicated disaster prep holiday annually but may include emergency items in general tax holidays.
Always verify with the Mississippi Department of Revenue.
✅ South Carolina
August’s Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday often includes hurricane-friendly items like batteries and flashlights, though its primary focus is on school supplies.
Verify with South Carolina Dept of Revenue
✅ Tennessee
When: July 25–27, 2025
Items Covered: Portable generators ($1,000 or less), gas cans, first-aid kits, and batteries—alongside clothes and school supplies.
✅ Texas
When: April 26–28, 2025
Items Covered: Portable generators (up to $3,000), emergency ladders, hurricane shutters ($300 or less), and other prep supplies ($75 or less).
✅ Virginia
When: August 1–3, 2025
Includes emergency prep supplies, school supplies, and clothing with price limits.
📝 Important Considerations
Dates vary each year depending on legislation.
Item eligibility and price caps are different in each state.
These holidays are established by state law, so changes can happen annually.
Always verify details on the official Department of Revenue website for your state.
You can usually find this information by Googling:
“[State Name] Department of Revenue Sales Tax Holiday 2025”.
🎯 Final Take: Prep Early, Save Smart
The 2025 Florida Hurricane Sales Tax Holiday is the perfect opportunity to stock up and stay safe—without paying extra. We’ll update this post again as soon as the final list is released.
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